Lentil and Fava Bean Salad

Yum
Lentils are pretty much a staple in our diet. Not only are they delicious, high in protein, fiber and nutrition, and low in calories, but they are super easy to prepare. And I like super easy to prepare. Lentils are one of my favorite non-meat protein sources.

Fava Beans are in season right now and I’ve been getting them almost weekly in my CSA. Unlike snap peas, they are relatively easy to shell and can be done in just a few minutes. Frozen or dried fava beans are also great choices if you don’t have fresh. Like lentils, Fava beans are a great source of protein, fiber, and nutrition. A note-if you are using fresh fava beans, once they are cooked you will need to remove the white outer shell to reveal the green bean.

Combining these two mutrtional powerhouses into a delicious salad, perfect for a dinner side or as a dish to bring to a barbecue. Feel free to make ahead-the longer it sits, the better the flavor gets. I just ate the rest of what was left from last night as a snack:)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1 cup Fava beans, fresh or frozen

1/2 onion (peeled)

2 garlic cloves, left in skins and smashed

1 Bay Leaf

Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon Cumin

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1/4 cup chopped Parsley

Juice of one Lemon

How to:

Add lentils, onion, garlic and Bay leaf to a medium pot. Cover by 1″ with water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add fava beans. Reduce heat and simmer for 18-20 minutes until lentils are tender but still have a bite to them. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove the onion, bay leaf and garlic. Peel the skin away from the garlic and add back into the lentils. Transfer lentils to a large bowl. Add cumin, scallions, parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Check for seasonings and add more sea salt and pepper if needed!

6 days agoby thebrooklynmomI tend to go a tad overboard....10 footer this year. Hubs was less than happy trying to get it home and getting it to stand up. But isn’t it beautiful? There’s something about sitting in front of a lighted Christmas tree that brings me a sense of calm and peacefulness...and can’t we all use a little of that this time of year. #christmas2017#nycchristmas#christmastree

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Hi, I’m Vanessa and welcome to my blog! I live in Downtown Brooklyn with my husband Bill and 6 year old daughter Isabella. A little about me and why I started this blog: I had built a successful career in the Fashion Industry for almost 20 years. I worked full time hours and traveled a lot. After my daughter was born, I began to realize more and more that this was not how I wanted to live my life. I wanted to do something with more flexibility that would allow me to spend more time with my family. I am now a Stay at Home Mom since December 2013 (I still can’t believe it sometimes!), with my own business as a natural health and wellness consultant and I’ve never been happier!

I am passionate about sharing with other moms easy ways they can make their families and their homes just a little healthier and greener. Here is where I share recipes and ways to get kids to eat healthier, my favorite healthy living tips, day to day life as a mom, and of course, all things Brooklyn. Thanks so much for visiting!